


Now When Arrows Don't Penetrate, Cupid Grabs the Pistol

by ken_ichijouji (dommific)



Category: Yuri!!! on Ice (Anime)
Genre: Boys Kissing, Dancing, Ice Skating, M/M, Matchmaking, Music, Phichit is a Good Wingman
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-11-27
Updated: 2016-11-27
Packaged: 2018-09-02 12:01:24
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 10,673
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8666632
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dommific/pseuds/ken_ichijouji
Summary: Phichit Chulanont doesn't know how he ended up the skating world's wingman, but he ain't mad at it.





	

**Author's Note:**

  * For [feelslikefire](https://archiveofourown.org/users/feelslikefire/gifts).



> I had SO MUCH FUN with this. Phichit is amazing, protect him at all costs.
> 
> This takes place during the Cup of China episodes. I took some liberties with the dialogue and one scene's location, but I think it's all good.
> 
> The songs in this fic were carefully curated. Phichit's alarm is "Cake by the Ocean" by DNCE. The song that he uses as Yuuri and Victor's ringtones and that they later dance to is "XO" by Beyonce. The song Phichit and Victor dance to is "Got to Give It Up (Part One)" by Marvin Gaye. The song Chris blares in the locker room is "Bump 'n Grind" by R. Kelly. The song in Yuuri's exhibition gala program is an invented orchestral rendition of "(I Can't Help) Falling in Love With You" by UB40.
> 
> _O-ba-na_ is Russian for "fuck yeah." _Mae_ is Thai for mother.
> 
> I think the best part of this fic is Chris probably, if I'm being honest. I thought he was being sincere with his...let's call them advances on Yuuri.
> 
> Bless Phichit Chulanont and keep him safe, amen.
> 
> The title of this story is a line from Outkast's "Happy Valentine's Day." Love will rule supreme!
> 
> [](https://www.flickr.com/photos/domminess/39392968935/in/dateposted-public/)

Phichit Chulanont would not claim to be an expert in matters of the heart, but he does better than his former roommate.

While he takes pictures of Ciao Ciao eating the drunken shrimp, only after he had some of the same booze as _Victor freaking Nikiforov_ who is Yuuri’s _coach_ (he still doesn’t understand how that happened), Victor latches onto Yuuri like one of those lamprey things they talk about on _Game of Thrones_.

Which Phichit is obsessed with, much to Yuuri’s consternation when they lived together. 

“It’s just so violent and pointlessly naked,” Yuuri would complain while sharing the popcorn and not taking his eyes off the screen. He’d always bail when the sex got too graphic, though, which Phichit thinks is kind of weird because it’s like skating...it’s art, who cares if it’s explicit or not?

He loves Yuuri like a brother so he never mocks, never taunts. 

Above all he wants Yuuri to be happy, so that Victor is his coach instead of Ciao Ciao and that he seems to be flourishing under him is great. (And a little annoying from a competitive standpoint, but mostly it’s great. Plus Phichit is younger than Yuuri and also fairly self-aware so he has a firm understanding that it may be Yuuri’s Year and His Year is next. No big deal, and he means that.)

Then Victor has a glass too many. “I’m hot,” he says. He strips off his jacket while he wraps an arm around Yuuri’s shoulders. 

Yuuri turns pink, pushing up his glasses. “It is a little warm in here,” he agrees.

Victor lets go of him and pulls off his shirt in the middle of the restaurant. Phichit swings the iPhone to him, snapping a few pics in quick succession. Shirtless Living Legends result in a lot of Instagram likes---he doesn’t make the rules. 

“ _Yuuuuuuuuuriiiiiiiiiiiii_ ,” Victor says as he nuzzles his ear. Yuuri turns a darker shade, going from pink to scarlet, and he squirms a little. “You haven’t had any alcohol.”

“Ah um---” Yuuri stammers, which is so unlike the Yuuri he’s used to Phichit stops taking pictures to stare. “I don’t want to with the competition tomorrow. I don’t think it’s a good idea to skate while hungover---”

“I’ve done it,” Victor says. “Scored 95.84 too!”

That’s a low score for him, Phichit notes as Ciao Ciao starts literally frothing at the mouth. _Oh God_ , Phichit thinks as he snaps a photo.

Ciao Ciao rests his head on the table sideways so his airway stays clear, which is pretty good all considered. Victor gets closer to Yuuri, burying his face in his neck while Yuuri makes an audible gulp. 

What is his damage, Phichit wonders. And what is taking Leo so long? Phichit’s English is conversational not fluent, though he knows a lot of slang, but he lacks confidence in his ability to keep talking while Yuuri and Victor go back and forth. He misses words here or there, and it’s a little hard to keep up because Victor talks really fast. 

Victor holds Yuuri, wrapping his arms tight around him. He gives Phichit a dirty look, which is alarming since he hasn’t done anything. “My _katsudon_ ,” he says, and while Phichit doesn’t know much Japanese, he sure does know the name of Yuuri’s favorite comfort food. It must be some kind of inside joke if Victor is referring to Yuuri as food.

Phichit can’t see Victor’s one arm, but Yuuri squawks and puts it back into view, Victor promptly wrapping it around his chest. Ignoring his friend’s discomfort, this is _really entertaining_ , and he surreptitiously snaps more pictures. 

Leo and Guang-Hong show up about then, and the looks on their faces are _priceless_. Phichit is a bit caught up in making sure Ciao Ciao doesn’t actually die, though. “Celestino, keep it together!” he cries as he snaps a picture, not sure whether to put the Valencia filter on it or maybe X-Pro II.

“Ah, sorry,” Yuuri tells them. “Victor’s had way too much to drink.”

“Let’s go to a hot spring!” Victor shouts as he pumps a fist in the air.

Phichit sees Guang-Hong and Leo are both utterly floored by the sights before them, but they’re the babies in the Cup of China---they’re like fluffy, soft lambs. “Can someone help?” Phichit asks. “Like maybe an ambulance?”

Ciao Ciao twitches and gurgles, which is good. He’s not dead.

“Hasetsu Hot Spring, it’s a great place,” Victor slurs in Yuuri’s ear. Then he stands up, and before anyone can stop him, he takes off his pants. 

“This is getting a bit R-rated,” Guang-Hong whimpers. He doesn’t put down his phone, though.

Leo just trembles as Victor also _strips off his insanely tiny European underwear_ and throws it and the pants at their heads. Then he snuzzles back up to Yuuri, who starts squeaking every time Victor’s hands disappear under the table. “Victor, no---”

“Victor _yes_ ,” Victor says as he drapes himself on Yuuri’s lap.

He turns mostly away from everyone except still giving them the stinkeye. Phichit turns the camera to selfie mode, and he makes a scandalized face alongside of the tableau that is Victor and Yuuri. He snaps a couple just in case, then picks a filter on IG. _Wow! #phichit #beijing #YuuriKatsuki #VictorNikiforov_ , he captions. 

Then he uploads it.

Yuuri has since grabbed Victor’s pants and underwear and now with almost no success, he is trying to wrangle his coach into decency. Victor wraps himself around his charge like an overly-affectionate octopus, and Yuuri turns a deep crimson as he struggles to get him dressed. Victor seems really handsy, so he has his work cut out for him. 

Ciao Ciao starts coming to bit by bit which is good because Phichit doesn’t want to skate with no coach tomorrow. Apropos of nothing, it’d make him look strange compared to everyone else. Plus, he likes the guy. Yuuri does too, which is probably the source of his contention about inviting him. Yuuri cares a lot about appearances, and he’s mentioned worrying Ciao Ciao thinks he ditched him for Victor, even though that clearly isn’t the case. 

Victor does something with his face that looks suspiciously like going in for a kiss, which Yuuri somehow reddens even more and mostly dodges, Victor’s lips grazing his ear. While normally he’d film it to post to IG, Phichit decides this time to not as Yuuri starts whispering to Victor. It’s like he’s witnessing some kind of moment, something private he shouldn’t broadcast for the world to see.

Yuuri manages to get Victor’s shirt on him, holding the jacket. He puts down enough money to cover the whole meal, then bows at them. “Sorry. I’m going to take him back to the hotel...it’s better for us all.” Yuuri manages to wrangle Victor, who puts his hands in Yuuri’s back pockets. Yuuri yelps but, Phichit notes, he doesn’t remove his hands. 

What’s that about?

“Have a good night,” Yuuri says with another bow as he corrals Victor into leaving. 

Once they’re out of earshot, Leo clears his throat. “Uh so...is he always like that?”

“Who?” Phichit asks as he finds his angle to take another selfie. Oh yeah, that one’s great. _#nofilter #phichit #bejing #cupofchina_...no more than four hashtags, never more than four hashtags.

“Either. Both,” Guang-Hong replies.

“Yuuri gets embarrassed easily,” Phichit answers. “Victor...I have no idea, I only met him in passing last year.”

They sit where Victor and Yuuri had, both of them looking a little worse for wear. “They’re awfully...close,” Leo says with a more normal expression.

“I definitely don’t hang out with my coach like that,” Guang-Hong adds. He pokes at the remnants of the hot pot on the table, looking for scraps.

“I thought you don’t like this,” Leo says with a nudge.

Guang-Hong clears his throat. “I don’t. I’m just being nosy.”

Ciao Ciao sits up, wiping his mouth with the red linen napkin. It’s like he’s been reborn, and Phichit takes a few photos. “As I said, this type of food doesn’t agree with me.”

No kidding.

Phichit scrolls through the pictures he took while Ciao Ciao makes small talk with Leo and Guang-Hong. Most of them from that night are of Victor and Yuuri, and he has a kind of digital flipbook about them. He can see as he scrolls through that Yuuri (when not flustered) has a _lot_ of affection in his eyes aimed at Victor. 

Like an amount Phichit’s never seen him have at anyone else. 

Victor is super drunk (a girl Phichit knows in Detroit who hails from the Bay Area would use the word _hella_ as an adjective), and while there’s been talk of his dalliances, Phichit knows Yuuri well enough to understand this isn’t some one night flash in the pan for him. 

Phichit zooms in on one pic in particular where Yuuri is looking sideways at Victor, and as he sees the affection laid bare, he can’t help but hope his friend gets his way.

_\-----_

Phichit gets to the rink before everyone else with Ciao Ciao in tow. He’s here, he’s really here...he could end up in the Grand Prix Final! It’s huge for him, but it’s even bigger for Thailand. If he wins gold in the next two days, he can make history for Southeast Asia and figure skating. He already is making history with his chosen programs, but he wants to make even bigger history. He wants to be the talk of the figure skating world, he wants it all.

Phichit takes a selfie in the green room, dragging Ciao Ciao along with him though he usually takes the pics with good humor. 

Leo and his coach, a pretty woman, appear next. Leo beelines to him instead of starting to stretch. “Last night was wild,” he says.

Phichit laughs. “Yeah, probably stayed that way for Yuuri if he and Victor are splitting a room.”

Leo clears his throat. “You know Yuuri really well. Are they...is there some kind of… _thing_?”

Phichit has to think for a minute because he can’t immediately parse Leo’s question. A thing is a non-specific type of filler noun, that’s how he usually hears it used, but in Leo’s context it takes him a moment to get the meaning. Like a romance, he registers after a beat. He’s asking if they’re together.

“I think Yuuri would have mentioned it,” Phichit answers. “Though I’ve never known him to date anyone at all, if I’m being honest.”

If anyone would be an exception to that, it’s probably Victor Nikiforov. No one’s ever caught Yuuri’s attention like him, even before the coaching. And Phichit saw that press conference subtitled on Youtube, how “Victor is the first person (Yuuri) ever wanted to hold onto.” 

Hrm. 

Guang-Hong comes over, nodding and smiling at Phichit, outright beaming at Leo, and the three of them start gabbing about their programs. It’s why they’re here, after all, and it’s interesting to see how they’ll compare. Phichit already saw theirs at Skate America, but they’ve all done some little alterations to better suit their strengths and minimize their weaknesses.

Yuuri and Victor arrive next, Yuuri with his hair slicked back, and his glasses nowhere to be found. Phichit’s always wondered how he can skate like that, he’s tried them on---Yuuri’s fairly nearsighted. At least he should invest in a pair of contacts or something.

Yuuri looks at something on his phone, his face going white like a sheet. “Phichit,” he stammers.

Oh right.

“Sorry, I tried to resist posting it, but I couldn’t,” Phichit says with a sheepish smile and rubbing the back of his head with one hand.

“We managed, cheater,” Leo and Guang-Hong say in unison. They also sport matching looks of irritation.

“Sorry, sorry, I’m sorry,” Phichit reiterates. He bows.

Yuuri doesn’t hear him as sweat beads on his forehead and upper lip. It’s pretty clear the IG post is messing with him, and Phichit swallows. He forgot how easy it is to rattle Yuuri, and he makes a note to talk to him when he’s not spiraling but definitely before he skates.

Chris Giacometti comes up behind Yuuri, and Phichit can’t see his hand but it’s pretty obvious where it is given Yuuri suddenly stiffening his back and crying out. Chris leans in close like a lover as he says, “You didn’t invite me, Yuuri?”

Phichit pauses to contemplate if something is in Beijing’s water because this is the second person to get handsy on Yuuri in twelve hours. Maybe it’s a new cologne. Maybe it’s the weight loss. Maybe it’s Maybelline like those ads he always sees on US television. He has no idea, but there’s something going on.

Phichit starts to lose his mind when Chris compliments Yuuri on his physique, and before anyone else can intervene, Victor in a fully pressed suit and tie walks up to them. “Hi Chris,” he says.

“Victor, I can’t get serious without you,” Chris says, his tone a bit playful. He holds Victor’s badge in his hand, though the gesture lacks the flirtatiousness he had with Yuuri. 

“You’re always slow to start,” Victor counters with a shrug.

Chris’s coach stands behind him. “No, it’s true. He’s having a hard time getting competitive without you. You should come back to the fold.”

Two girls who are also competing in the Cup of China giggle. “Victor,” they coo at him. “You’re really a coach now?”

Victor excuses himself from Chris to the ladies, one of which is wearing a Russia jacket and must be an old rink mate. They all talk in Russian, which Phichit can’t comprehend, but he definitely catches the snide tone of voice from the girls and Yuuri’s name. 

The look on Yuuri’s face means he’s caught it, too.

He’s not spiraling anymore, but his face is dark in a way Phichit hasn’t ever seen. Chris leans into his ear again. “You know, Yuuri, keeping Victor to yourself is a grave sin.”

Yuuri’s mouth flattens into a line. He doesn’t offer a rebuttal, and Phichit’s face sours. If Victor didn’t want to coach Yuuri, he wouldn’t. Everyone knows Victor doesn’t do what he doesn’t feel like doing. There’s something he sees in Yuuri that these other people don’t. 

Yuuri’s one of the best male figure skaters in Japan, though it’s true he’s never won that much internationally. The late bloomer label is fair. He’s inconsistent, but Yuuri is Phichit’s good friend so he has faith that he can do well this time, especially since there’s talk of him retiring after this year.

They draw numbers, and Phichit is up first, which he doesn’t mind like some of his friends do. He likes getting it out of the way, then he can relax until the free skate. The free skate order is descending according to the standings so wherever he places, he will go then. 

Going first in that situation is less than ideal.

Phichit stretches, and all six of them get on the ice for their warm up skate. Phichit sees Victor whispering to Yuuri, Yuuri nodding at his instructions. Yuuri is on the crowd side of the boards, Victor kind of penning him in, and again Phichit wonders if they do have some kind of, to use Leo’s word, thing. Victor’s not inappropriate like he was last night, though, so that’s something at least.

Yuuri joins Phichit on the ice for the warm up. Phichit is dying so he blurts out, “You and Victor are really close.”

Yuuri’s cheeks redden, though Phichit is pretty sure it’s not from exertion. “He’s my coach.”

“He lives with you,” Phichit points out. Then he does a triple Salchow.

Yuuri skates enough ahead to do a quad Salchow. He doesn’t fall like normal. Phichit catches up to him. “I...yeah, he does,” Yuuri answers.

Chris skates by so fast that Phichit hears Yuuri react to him rather than seeing what happens, his hand looking suspiciously close to Yuuri’s ass for the second time that day, and he turns to give Yuuri the wink and gun. He faces the right way again and heads around the rink, pausing for a quad toe loop.

Leo and Guang-Hong skate close by, and Phichit notes they look like they’re showing off for each other. It’s cute, making him smile at the pair. 

Rounding them out is Georgi, and the only words Phichit can think of when he sees him are the American slang phrase “hot mess.” He looks like a goth child that played in his mommy’s make up, and his temperament is, at best, mercurial. Phichit met him last season---he seemed like a more studious Victor, but something’s not right with the guy today. His theme is heartbreak, though, so maybe that’s got something to do with it.

The clock runs down, and they all exit the ice except Phichit. He unzips and hands his jacket to Ciao Ciao. Ciao Ciao smiles down at him. “I’m confident that these programs will become your trademarks,” he says. 

Phichit nods and grins.

“Well, I guess there’s nothing more to say.” Ciao Ciao extends his hand, and Phichit shakes it. Then he heads to the center ice, taking several deep breaths. It’s been his dream to skate to this song since he was a child, since he was old enough to be allowed to watch a whole movie, and _The King and the Skater_ is why he’s even here at all.

The music starts, and Phichit begins his program. The crowd immediately gets into it which warms his heart. He has to fight the grin from taking over his face, keeping his more neutral performance expression. Yeah, he falls in the second half, but he completes the right number of rotations, and he gets right back up and picks up where he should. It’s not perfect, but it happens to everyone.

The point is, in spite of the fall, he’s happy because he made history.

He exits the ice to thunderous applause, and Ciao Ciao pats him on the back, shouting superlatives in Italian. Phichit understands the words “belissimo” and “bravo,” and that’s good enough for him. He puts on his jacket, and they head to the Kiss and Cry. 

His coaches sit on either side of him, and as his score is read, he exalts. He’s all bright smiles and he makes his hands into a heart, because he did great!

They head back to the green room, and as they do the audience cheers. Guang-Hong was next. “He landed his quadruple toe loop!” Phichit exclaims with joy.

Ciao Ciao leads him back, and Yuuri is nowhere to be found. Damn, Phichit thinks. He wanted to talk him down. Wait no...there he is. He’s running back and forth with a shocked expression, to the point of wearing a groove in the floor. 

Chris stands next to Victor. “Is he okay?” he asks.

“Shh,” Victor replies as he watches Yuuri go back and forth, back and forth.

Phichit watches him too. He’s never seen this before. Judging from Victor’s expression, he hasn’t either. What is wrong with him?

It’s time so Victor and Yuuri head out onto the ice, and Phichit and Guang-Hong stand in front of the television. The cameras are on Yuuri and Victor, though there’s no audio. Victor says something with a soft expression, covering Yuuri’s hand with his rather intimately. Yuuri entwines their fingers, then rests his forehead against Victor’s. 

The look on his face is _intense_.

He skates away, and Victor touches his forehead where Yuuri’s was. Yuuri takes the center ice, and the announcer introduces him. 

Yuuri licks his lips, makes arm motions, and gives this insanely killer look at---

Wait.

He looked at Victor.

Yuuri, the guy who leaves the room when a show has too much sex, just gave the world’s biggest _come hither, stud_ look to his coach. Phichit was gonna watch Yuuri skate anyway, but now he’s riveted. Guang-Hong stands in between him and Ciao Ciao, and all three of them are transfixed by the scene before them. 

And Yuuri...doesn’t make a single mistake. He nails every jump including his eternal nemesis, the quad Salchow. He oozes sex appeal. It’s a perfect, perfect performance Phichit has seldom seen from him, and he’s spellbound the whole time.

It’s better than _Game of Thrones_.

Victor escorts him to the Kiss and Cry, where he looks exuberant. Though Yuuri’s face is bland, like the rice soup eaten with _khao tom_. The scores are read, and Victor grabs him in a big hug. Yuuri comes to life, though he looks anxious and not overjoyed like Phichit would.

“Yuuri’s never scored so high before,” Phichit says out loud.

“Don’t worry,” Ciao Ciao says. “He’s not used to being the one to beat. The free skate is where it counts.”

That’s true, Phichit muses.

Group Two skates, Leo doing great (which Phichit notes thoroughly pleases Guang-Hong), Georgi does...whatever the hell that is, and Chris just makes everyone uncomfortable.

“He won the sex appeal for today I guess,” Yuuri laments as Victor, who is embracing him from behind, pats his shoulder.

“The ice is soaking wet,” Phichit can’t help but say.

Guang-Hong blanches.

“What?” Phichit asks.

“Nothing just---never mind,” Guang-Hong answers.

Phichit shrugs. Yuuri sighs, leaning into Victor who is now stroking his hair.

Phichit looks at his coach, who sits at a different tv set. He looks at Victor and Yuuri. He was already on Team Victuuri (he can see the hashtags now, and they are _glorious_ ) for Yuuri’s sake, but it’s clear Victor wants him too. They deserve it, and they deserve each other.

Chris has placed fifth.

Yuuri moves away from Victor. He points at himself. “Wait but---”

“I’m still in it!” Guang-Hong says.

Chris is still being interviewed. “I’m confident in my free program,” he says. “I’m good at catching up.”

Phichit walks to Yuuri, placing a hand on his shoulder with a grin. “I’m gunning to pass you in the free program, Yuuri.”

Yuuri gives him a surprised smile. He puts his hand on Phichit’s opposite shoulder and nods.

Leo pumps a fist in the air. “I’m so close to the Grand Prix final!”

Georgi and his coach---formerly Victor’s coach and who reminds Phichit of some kind of fairytale gremlin---are talking amongst themselves.

And Yuuri and Victor look at the final bit on the broadcast. “In first place after today’s short programs is skater Yuuri Katsuki, with an all-time personal best!”

Footage shows of Yuuri’s “Eros” skate, and Victor embraces him. “ _O-ba-na!_ ” Victor shouts as he whirls Yuuri around like they’re in a dance. Yuuri looks dazed, though whether it’s the attention or the rank is anyone’s guess. 

Actually...no. It’s the attention. Yuuri’s cheeks are pink as Victor lifts him up, and Yuuri buries his face in his neck. Phichit snaps a few pics, uploading the best one to IG. _#victuuri #YuuriKatsuki #VictorNikiforov #lovewins_ , he tags it. The likes and comments come flooding in faster than the shirtless Victor pic last night. 

It’s great---A-plus Phichit would eBay again.

Chris comes back into the green room, and he gives a long look to Victor and Yuuri. His face is a bit inscrutable, like he can’t decide who to be jealous of. Then his demeanor shifts, a quirky smile forming. He sidles up to Victor, who has let go of Yuuri, and he whispers something in his ear. Victor’s face immediately snaps up, his eyes a little wide, and he gives Chris an incredulous stare. 

“I’m just saying,” Chris answers with a shrug. He leaves to grab a bottle of water and do his cool down stretches. 

Yuuri is congratulated by Ciao Ciao, who is always nothing but class. Yuuri basks in the approval for a minute before Phichit can see the anxiety take over. Poor guy.

Phichit wraps an arm around Yuuri’s shoulders. “I’m not kidding,” he says with a wink.

“I know,” Yuuri answers. His arm wraps around Phichit’s waist, and they stand together watching the controlled chaos of the room. Yuuri will have to go in a second to do press, but for the moment he’s just happy with his friends. Phichit arms the phone and takes a selfie of them, him with a closed-eye grin and Yuuri giving a smile and the V for victory. 

Victor squeezes himself in between their faces, Guang-Hong, Leo, Chris, and Georgi joining them. The competition at this level is always healthy and light...none of them are shitheads. People get disappointed because they know they could do better, but no one ever sabotages or openly talks shit. They’re all friends. Phichit regrets not bringing his Bluetooth selfie stick as he tries to get them all in the frame. He barely manages it, snapping a bunch in rapid succession. 

The purest of the pure goes up on IG within seconds. Yuuri gets summoned as soon as it goes up on Phichit’s feed, and he hears in the press area Yuuri declare he’ll win with Victor and the power of love. 

More like with the power of _Victor’s love_ , but that’s splitting hairs.

Phichit kind of wants to interject something really inappropriate, but it must show because Leo gives him a pointed look. Oh well, he’ll tell Yuuri in private later. It’ll be fun to see the look on his face.

It’s still somewhat early, early enough they won’t wreck themselves, so they decide to go out for dinner. The coaches except Victor opt to do their own thing, Ciao Ciao looking a bit wan at the suggestion of partying, but then when has Victor Nikiforov _not_ been an exception of some kind?

Guang-Hong knows the area so he gives them an address, and they pile into two cabs. Phichit’s with Yuuri, Victor, and Georgi, who’s up front with the driver. Yuuri’s in the middle seat in the back, sandwiched between Victor and Phichit. 

“Hey good job, Georgi, your short program was very emotional,” Victor says in a cheerful tone.

“I skate from my heart,” Georgi replies, though his voice is a bit small.

Yikes. Phichit hopes he never goes through anything like that, whatever that happens to be.

The streetlights stream by them, and Phichit notices that Victor’s arm is around Yuuri’s shoulders. Yuuri fishes out his glasses and looks ahead at the road, but his shoulders are stiff. His eyes are starting to turn deer in headlights, and before Phichit can act, Victor whispers in Yuuri’s ear. His shoulders loosen almost immediately, and he stops throwing up in his mouth, a feat Ciao Ciao never managed.

They get to the restaurant, and they’re ushered into a private room with a table set for eight. Chris and Victor immediately order booze for everyone, ignoring that Guang-Hong isn’t old enough to drink it. 

Phichit notes that he fails to remind them of that fact as he takes a sip of the _baiju_ which almost sets him on his ass. It’s strong stuff not unlike vodka, which means Victor, Georgi, and Chris knock it back like champs.

Yuuri stares down at his glass. He’s never been much of a drinker, minus one night they went to a party in Ann Arbor. Phichit asked him why once. “I don’t like losing control,” was his answer. Phichit hadn’t gotten it until that one time, then it was like the heavens opened. That night had been a gift. He still has the photographic evidence on his iCloud, which he’s never told Yuuri about. 

Guang-Hong nurses the _baiju_. Leo nudges him, and they basically start cleaning each other like kittens, Leo taking down his hair and Guang-Hong running his fingers through it. It’s adorable, and Phichit snaps a few pics.

Victor talks to Georgi about his life since his move to Japan; Georgi mentions a bad break up, and the theme of heartbreak now makes sense. One of Victor’s hands is out of sight, but this time Yuuri isn’t flailing so it’s likely not on him. Guang-Hong orders for the table family style, and on Yuuri’s other side Chris strikes up a conversation with him. Chris leans on a hand, his eyes watching Yuuri’s mouth, and Phichit again wonders if Yuuri’s emitting some kind of pheromone because if so, he needs to bottle it up to sell post-haste. 

Yuuri catches Phichit staring. “What’s up?”

“Mmmm,” Phichit says. The food’s arrived so everything is now on hold because he is starving. “Later.”

They eat, shout, and laugh while keeping an eye on the time since it wouldn’t do to party too late. Yuuri checks his phone at one point and excuses himself, Victor and Chris watching him go, and both are devoid of subtlety. 

Phichit wonders if a brawl is gonna break out for Yuuri’s hand like he’s a damsel. Not gonna lie, that’d be _amazing_.

Yuuri is gone for a while, and Victor is in the middle of a story so Phichit leaves to check on his friend. Yuuri sits in the restaurant’s lounge with a mildly horrified look on his face. The phone is held away from his ear, and Phichit hears cheerful talking in Japanese. 

Yuuri’s expression says he’s dead inside.

Oh God.

Yuuri tells his family he loves them and goodbye, hanging up. Then he doesn’t move. Phichit takes that as his cue and sits next to him. “They’re proud of you.”

“Yeah.”

Phichit nudges him. “They’ll be proud of you no matter what.”

“Yeah.” Yuuri still has that hollow-eyed look. He swallows, Phichit doing the same out of sympathy. 

The problem is when Yuuri does this psychological death spiral routine, logic doesn’t pull him out. Simple solutions don’t work, either. Most of the time he either rescues himself or he doesn’t, and it’s starting to look like this might be a time he can’t.

He’ll be damned if Phichit won’t try. “Remember that party?” he begins.

“Which?” Yuuri answers, his voice dull.

“The one where you got wasted,” Phichit replies with a big grin.

Yuuri pauses. “I wasn’t _that_ bad.”

Phichit’s expression can only be described as the word _bullshit_.

“I wasn’t!” Yuuri has come back to himself, much to Phichit’s joy.

“All those shots,” Phichit waxes poetic. “It’s a wonder you didn’t throw up everywhere.”

“I wasn’t wasted, I was just...drunk,” Yuuri insists.

“There’s no difference,” Phichit points out. “Especially not when you kissed me.”

Yuuri buries his face in his hands. “I did that just one...three...times.”

Phichit snorts. “What was the excuse? _You just really had to make sure_?”

Yuuri starts snickering, though Phichit can hear his mortification.

“That’s the thinnest excuse ever,” Phichit continues. “If you think I’m hot you can just take me to a movie.”

“I couldn’t tell if you were hot,” Yuuri says. “That’s why drunk me kissed you, because sober me couldn’t bear to figure it out.”

“And it somehow took you doing it three times,” Phichit continues. “To realize that you don’t find me irresistible. I guess I shouldn’t be offended, that’s thorough research.” Yuuri is dying now for a different reason, but it’s not a panic attack about losing the skate tomorrow so Phichit considers it a win. 

It’s time to needle him about someone else. 

“You should try the same experiment with another person. Like your coach?”

Yuuri stops laughing. His hands fall away from his face, which is the same color red as Phichit’s “Shall We Skate?” costume. “We’re...it’s not…”

Phichit’s left eyebrow tries to escape into his hair.

Yuuri slouches, defeated. “I’m obvious. It’s so obvious.”

“You both are,” Phichit replies as gently as he can. He pats Yuuri’s knee three times, one for each kiss.

“Oh no, he doesn’t...he’s just my mentor,” Yuuri says. “I’m a protege. There’s no way he feels the same.”

“He keeps draping himself on you, Yuuri,” Phichit counters. “And I’ve never seen him look at someone like he does you.”

Yuuri goes on like he doesn’t hear him. “Every time I skate “Eros,” it’s for him. It’s always for him, but he doesn’t seem to see it.”

“Oh no, he sees it,” Phichit says. “Trust me, he sees it.”

Yuuri makes a face---it’s pure disbelief. “Then why hasn’t he said something?” 

“Why haven’t you?” Phichit answers with a casual wave of his left hand. 

Yuuri doesn’t reply, the look in his eyes saying he’s considering his words, but he doesn’t come out with an affirmative. Instead he shrugs. “I know he loves me, I just don’t think he… _loves me_.”

“Only one way to find out, which is being a bit more direct than a short program.” Phichit decides to try another track. “If he doesn’t, Chris does. Maybe kiss _him_ just to make sure.”

Yuuri gives Phichit a _look_. “Chris isn’t serious. Besides, he does that to lots of people.”

“You’re right, he’s grabbed my ass so many...wait no. He hasn’t. Ever. Once.”

Yuuri’s expression now suggests Phichit should increase his medication. Or start some. “Oh come on, there’s no way.”

Phichit rolls his eyes. “Yuuri.”

“What?” Yuuri says.

“ _Yuuri._ ” Phichit gives into the urge to shake him by the shoulders. Not hard, of course, but just enough so that Yuuri gets sense knocked into him. Yuuri snorts, and Phichit turns the shaking into a big hug.

“Yuuri?” Victor calls from behind them. “We’re all heading back, you both have a long day tomorrow.”

The love lights Yuuri’s eyes for the world to see, and Phichit smiles. “Okay.”

Yuuri stands, Phichit grabbing his wrist. Yuuri gives him a quizzical look. “Remember my advice.”

Yuuri hesitates, but he nods. Phichit lets him go, and the two of them leave, Victor wrapping an arm around Yuuri’s waist even though Yuuri’s fine walking on his own. They all catch cabs back to their respective hotels, and Phichit showers then climbs into bed. 

Not before he sends Yuuri a text. _You only stand to gain. Go for it!_

_\-----_

_Talk to me baby! I’m going blind from this sweet, sweet craving, woah-oh! Let’s lose our minds and go fucking crazy! Ay ya ya ya ya I keep on hoping we’ll eat cake by the ocean!_

Phichit blinks open his eyes, turning off his alarm. He sits up to wipe the sleep away, forgetting for a moment where he is. Beijing. Cup of China. He’s fourth out of six going into the free skate. 

The thought energizes him and he jumps out of bed, taking his phone with him into the bathroom. There’s an iPod dock, and he blares his tunes as he showers, the hot water loosening a knot in his back from how he slept. 

Just as he gets out of the shower and puts on his warm ups, a knock sounds on his door. It’s Ciao Ciao holding two coffees. Phichit’s has a P written on it with a sharpie, and he takes it with a smile. “Thank you,” he says.

Ciao Ciao knows he likes hazelnut mochas, and that’s what he tastes when he takes a long drink. 

“How do you feel?” Ciao Ciao asks.

Phichit swallows. “Good. I’ll do some stretches in a minute to loosen up.”

Ciao Ciao nods. “I meant emotionally.”

Oh. Phichit smiles. “Pretty good. I’m confident I can win the free skate.”

Phichit only has one quad on his roster---Yuuri and Chris have several each. He’s behind them in that skill, but he’s younger so it’s understandable. He puts his quads in the second half of his free skate for the greater point values. Phichit also knows his weaknesses and adjusts for them. 

It helps that Ciao Ciao is a good coach who looks out for his people.

Phichit checks his texts. Several from his _Mae_ , two from Achara his beloved little sister, and one from Yuuri. He sends quick replies to _Mae_ and Achara, who are wishing him luck and expressing their pride.

Yuuri’s text reads as follows: _I chickened out._

Phichit covers his eyes with a sigh. _Yuuri._ He hopes his exasperation is conveyed properly. He doesn’t want to send the wrong message.

Then he gets a text from Leo. _Dude, I don’t know what’s going on, but this isn’t the Cup of China so much as There’s Something About Yuuri Katsuki._

Phichit’s seen that movie on cable. _IKR? He doesn’t think either of them are into him. He’s ridiculous._

Yuuri responds first. _I can’t do it right now, I already didn’t sleep. The last thing I need is to get turned down by Victor right before my free skate._

Oh shit. Phichit immediately engages concerned friend mode. He types a long text. _You didn’t sleep? Because of the competition? Yuuri, no! Go back to bed. You can’t skate like that, you’ll hurt yourself! DDDD:_

Leo texts the same time as Yuuri. _He doesn’t know? How can he not know? They may as well have held up signs._

_Yuuri is gr8 but he doesn’t see himself the way others do. BTW what's with you and Guang-Hong?_

Then he reads Yuuri’s text. _I can’t, I have to go to the rink._

Phichit frowns, Ciao Ciao giving him a concerned look. “Yuuri didn’t sleep,” he says.

“There’s a lot riding on him today,” Ciao Ciao says. “That’s why I told you not to worry. He’s a good skater, maybe even a great one, but he’s the most fragile person I’ve ever worked with.” The words are not devoid of kindness.

Phichit nods. _Be careful, okay?_

Yuuri doesn't reply---hopefully, he went to sleep. Victor will take care of him, Phichit is sure of it. 

Leo texts him back. _Why? Did he say something??? :D_

In addition to _Game of Thrones_ , Phichit loves American game shows. Right now he feels like that Chuck Woolery guy from the one called _Love Connection_.

_No but he doesn't have to. You're in._

_Sweet! Thanks._ Phichit can picture Leo doing a dance of joy. 

But first, let him take a selfie.

_#pichitchu, #CupofChina #freeskate, #beijing_ , he hashtags as he posts it. He likes how tan he looks in that filter, so he uses it a lot. Sometimes he thinks about getting one of those Korean selfie apps, but he’s not sure if that’s going overboard. He downloads one for the hell of it and uses it on the selfie---oh God, he looks like a moe anime character. He’ll never speak of this again. Delete delete delete.

“Come, let’s get breakfast,” Ciao Ciao says with a gesture to the door. Phichit grabs his sunglasses, following him out. They take the elevator down to the lobby, where they’re greeted by several international reporters and photographers. Ciao Ciao sighs, but Phichit lights up.

As usual, he lets Ciao Ciao do most of the talking. Yes, we’re confident he can place with his free skate score. Yes, Phichit is a gifted showman when he’s on the ice. Yes, he’s proud to have made history with “Shall We Skate?” No, he’s not nervous, he’s prepared to do his best today in the free skate and advance to the Grand Prix Final.

Ciao Ciao excuses them, and the concierge gets them a car. They arrive at a decent but not overly fancy restaurant, where Ciao Ciao gets pastries that Phichit mournfully watches him eat. His plate is a vegetable egg-white omelette and fruit---the mocha was his free empty calories before a competition. Not that he regrets it, but you know...bread. Bread rules. During the season, Phichit misses bread like his family.

That reminds him. He gets out his phone---he and Victor exchanged numbers the night before. His name in his phone is the glittery heart emoji with _Victor Katsuki_ after it. He sends him a text: _Make sure he eats._

Phichit eats the eggs. Then his phone vibrates.

_Sleep is more important. I’ve ordered him to nap until the last minute._

Phichit now knows God is real. _Bless. Will he actually listen?_

_I’m on top of him holding him down._

Phichit picked the wrong time to drink his water. He spits it across the table and onto his phone. Wiping it off, he sends back _That’s not restful._

Another text comes in. _Oops! I didn’t mean it that way. Just that I’m seeing to it that he doesn’t defy me._

Phichit is pretty sure the first text was the more correct one. And if so, for the first time in years he’s learned something new about Yuuri. Though, he’s not sure he wanted that information. _If you’re into it, I don’t judge._

_O.O_ is all the first reply consists of.

Phichit snorts. Ciao Ciao reads the newspaper on his tablet.

_I can't remember the last time I was speechless like this,_ Victor texts.

This is glorious. This is like Phichit won the Grand Prix Final on his birthday, and his prize is seventeen puppies. Fluffy ones, like those Samoyeds that are basically marshmallows with snouts. 

Well since Yuuri is too scared to get them out of the holding pattern, maybe he can give Victor a slight push. _For real if it’s like that, it’s great! I just don’t need specifics. And I question how you can be texting me RN. Pay attention to Yuuri pls!_

There’s a pause in the texting. Phichit eyes the steamed buns in front of his coach. Maybe he won’t notice one going missing. He reaches across the table---

“Ahem,” Ciao Ciao says as he looks up from his tablet. “We can’t let your costume out in time.”

Busted. Phichit goes back to his melon.

His phone vibrates.

_I think Yuuri is finally sleeping. And it’s not like that._

Phichit frowns. _Why not?_

There’s a pause. _It’s unprofessional._

Scoffing, Phichit drinks more water. _Is that all? Who cares? You two should be happy._

Victor’s reply is a curt, _Thanks for looking out for him._

Damn it, he was too pushy. He probably made him angry---he got too familiar. He’ll have to try to apologize at the rink. 

Phichit changes Yuuri’s name in his phone to _Yuuri Nikiforov._ They’re a modern couple, they can swap last names. Americans do this thing where they hyphenate sometimes if they can’t decide whose name to use. Maybe they can do that. He sets their ringtones as a Beyonce love song, too, for good measure.

Ciao Ciao pays with his black card, and they hail a cab back to the hotel. Phichit goes to his room and grabs the garment bag with his free skate costume, along with his skates and everything else he needs for the day. He grabs his headphones too, just in case. Sometimes he likes to chill to his music in the green room.

They make it to the rink, but they’re not the first ones this time. Chris and his coach are there, Chris stretching with a foam roller on the floor. Leo’s there too, deeply involved in his phone.

“What are you doing?” Phichit tries to peer over his shoulder.

“Nonya,” Leo says as he moves his phone to the other hand.

“What’s a ‘nonya’?” Phichit asks.

“As in ‘nonya business’,” Leo answers.

Phichit is totally going to steal that, it’s fantastic. “Fair enough!”

Leo types something and then grins. “I don’t leave until two days after the exhibition gala. Guang-Hong is gonna show me around.”

His eyes are sparkling, and Phichit congratulates himself that he’s one out of two for the matchmaking. Victuuri will sail like a ship soon, though, he can feel it. “Very good!”

Yuuri and Victor arrive then, and Yuuri is so tired he’s borderline stoned. His eyes start to get panicky, and Victor whispers something in his ear, his hand resting on Yuuri’s hip. Yuuri shakes his head. Victor says something else, and Yuuri nods this time. Victor hands him a bottle of Evian and a pair of earplugs. Yuuri sits down, puts in the earplugs, and tries valiantly to open his water.

Even from across the room Phichit can see his hands shake.

Before he has to start stretching, Phichit walks to Victor, grabbing him by the shoulder and pulling him out of Yuuri's line of sight. “You’ve got to fix him.”

At first Victor’s gaze is laced with a bit of steel, but as the saying goes game recognizes game, _game_ being shorthand this time for _concerned with Yuuri’s emotional well-being_. His eyes soften. “I’ve been trying all afternoon. He’s never been this lost in his own head before.”

Phichit looks at Yuuri. Victor’s right...this is a whole new level of shit. Chris is watching him too with concern. 

He’s out of suggestions.

Victor stares at Yuuri, his aching visible by the lines around his mouth and the shimmer in his eyes. “I’ll keep him away from the tvs. I won’t let him watch anyone else skate.”

Phichit nods. It’ll have to do, because he has to focus on getting himself ready. He goes to the locker room, changing with Guang Hong and Chris. Phichit combs and gels his hair, checking his face in the mirror.

“Quit hogging it,” complains Guang-Hong. He checks his face, grins, then hurries out.

“You can’t rush perfection,” Phichit retorts to his back.

Chris appears behind him, but he’s much taller so he’s fine. He tugs Phichit by the elbow to talk. “Yuuri isn’t going to crash again, is he?”

Phichit shakes his head. “No, I think Victor can save him.”

Chris looks doubtful, his eyes going a bit dark. “Victor doesn’t save people.”

Phichit knows Victor’s reputation, but it’s different this time. It’s obvious. “We’ll see.”

They exit back into the green room, and they help each other stretch. Then they head to the staging area at the rink. It’s time for the six minute warm up, and Yuuri attempts a Salchow but falls. Victor’s face crumbles with worry, and as the warm up ends, he tells Yuuri not to panic. 

Guang-Hong is about to skate, talking to his coach in earnest. Phichit stretches and watches. Guang-Hong does a good job in spite of his fall, but Phichit can see the disappointment on his face when he’s at the Kiss and Cry.

Chris is on the ice, hugging his coach with lots of affection in his eyes. He skates to center ice and goes. It’s a perfect performance, much better than the previous day’s, and he moves like mercury, quick and liquid across the ice. Phichit will eat his hat if Chris doesn’t place.

It’s Phichit’s turn.

He steps onto the rink, exhaling once low and loud.

He skates to center ice, getting into formation.

The music starts, and Phichit moves. It passes in a blur which is unlike him, but he’s so wrapped up in country, pride, Yuuri, and Chris, he goes into a fugue state. He lands every jump, every pose, every move. 

He finishes realizing he’s done a flawless program. He’s so relieved he falls back onto the ice, his chest heaving as he tries to figure out what next. Phichit wipes his hand over his mouth, the cold starting to seep through his costume. He pushes himself up, skating to Ciao Ciao and the Kiss and Cry.

It’s the highest score he’s ever gotten by far. Phichit gives the V for victory with the hamster plush he rescued from the ice. “Please root for me in the Grand Prix Final!”

“Uh you don’t know you’re going yet,” Ciao Ciao can’t help but point out.

“Oh. Right,” he says, wind taken out of his sails. Still, there’s a lot to celebrate. He made up for the deficit between him and Yuuri. Provided Yuuri shows up, they should theoretically both place.

They head back to the green room, and Yuuri and Victor have disappeared. Phichit gives Leo a questioning look---Leo’s nonverbal answer is a clear “no idea.” Him and Georgi go out to the holding area with their coaches, but Victor and Yuuri are still nowhere to be found. 

Phichit worries his bottom lip with his teeth. He debates texting Yuuri for a few minutes before deciding to leave them alone.

Leo skates, but he doesn’t do well. His sadness is palpable at the Kiss and Cry. Georgi starts, and it’s more of his fairy tale heartbreak theme. He falls though, and that’s that. Phichit starts to think he has it on lockdown, but there’s one more person to go.

Yuuri walks back into the Green Room, eyes red and puffy, with Victor one step behind him. His hand is on Yuuri’s shoulder, and they exit into the holding area out on the ice, blowing off the press. Phichit stands up, moving to the television. Ciao Ciao stands next to him. “I hope he’s alright.”

Ciao Ciao nods.

Yuuri unzips his jacket, handing it to Victor. He takes a sip of his water. Victor holds out the poodle shaped tissue box, and Yuuri blows his nose. He makes like he’s going to put the used Kleenex in Victor’s hand, but almost drops it on the ice at the last second. Victor catches it, and Yuuri pokes him on the scalp. Then he pats his head.

He skates away, and Victor watches him go, dumbfounded.

“Representing Japan, our last skater---Yuuri Katsuki!”

Yuuri bows his head. The music starts, a soft piano melody, and Yuuri moves. 

Ciao Ciao’s eyes widen a little. “I’ve never seen him so relaxed.”

Phichit nods---he hasn’t, either.

Yuuri does his program, and it’s...beautiful, Phichit decides. He can’t tell Yuuri didn’t sleep, for one thing. Where “Eros” is hard sexuality, “Yuuri on Ice” is a delicate affection, and Phichit is impressed with Yuuri’s versatility. He has to put a hand down on a triple axel, though, which is a shame. 

The program begins to wind down, and Yuuri does a quad flip.

Yuuri doesn’t have the quad flip on his roster.

Ciao Ciao stares open mouthed.

Phichit blinks.

The audience goes nuts, even though Yuuri fell. A quad flip at the tail end of a program? Victor never even did that.

Yuuri poses, the last note of the song trailing off, and the audience leaps to their feet. Victor covers his face in his hands for a second before bolting, running to where Yuuri will exit the ice. Yuuri barely greets the crowd before gunning for Victor, skating as fast as he can. He opens his arms, and Victor leaps at him.

Time slows as Victor’s lips land on Yuuri’s, his blue eyes closing, his hand winding in Yuuri’s hair. Yuuri’s eyes are wide for a second before he melts into the kiss. They land on the ice, Yuuri on his back and Victor on top of him. Yuuri’s eyes are open again, and he blinks a few times in rapid succession.

Victor pulls back from him and says something, but there’s no audio on the broadcast. Yuuri’s cheeks flush, and his face softens. Phichit lipreads the word “really?” when Yuuri replies. Victor looks at him with such love on his face, Phichit knows Yuuri can’t doubt his feelings anymore.

Phichit has his hands clasped with a bright sunny grin. 

Love wins, indeed.

The medal ceremony is crazy. Phichit stands in the number one spot in the Grand Prix series for the first time in his career, his grin so huge it threatens to split his face. Yuuri stands to his right with the silver, Chris to his left with the bronze. Flashbulbs almost blind them, and Phichit basks in the attention, soaking it up like sunrays.

They exit the podium, Chris moving in between them to wrap an arm around Phichit’s shoulders with his bouquet, his other hand low on Yuuri’s hip. They enter the green room together, their coaches all applauding them. 

Though Phichit notes Victor’s eyes are drawn to Chris’s hand on Yuuri. 

It’s time for them to do press, so they put their bouquets down and join their coaches. Victor is bursting with pride by Yuuri’s side, though he stands only close enough to be professional.

Ciao Ciao again fields most of the questions, Phichit chiming in when there are openings. He’s going to the GPF, he can feel it in his bones---him and Yuuri both will be there.

There’s a party that night, a big celebration for all the participants and their coaches. Phichit wants to go shower and change so he can dance and drink with his friends. There’ll be champagne, which Phichit loves.

They head back, Phichit cleaning up and putting on a red shirt with a pair of black jeans and boots. Phichit makes sure he has his room key, and they head to the club where the party is. The music is thumping as they walk in, Chris and Leo already there. They’re talking by the bar, and Phichit joins them.

“Congratulations,” Leo says with a genuine smile.

“Thank you!” Phichit grabs a flute of the champagne, taking a long sip. It's his favorite---it’s so bubbly, light, and celebratory.

“That was something, wasn’t it?” Chris asks. He knows Phichit’s record.

“Yeah,” Phichit answers. “It was great though!”

Chris claps a hand on his shoulder, looking past him to the entrance. His smile shifts into something softer. “The men of the hour,” he says.

Phichit turns, and it’s Yuuri and Victor. Victor’s in a gray blazer and a blue shirt, Yuuri in all black with his hair still back and he isn’t wearing his glasses. Victor’s hand is on his back above his waist, and Phichit smiles at them. 

“Ow-owwww!” Chris catcalls them.

Yuuri stumbles and flushes. Victor looks at them with a grin.

Phichit decides to join in. “Make out!” he cries with a clap of his hands.

Yuuri’s eyes glint at Phichit like the time Phichit machine washed his fur blanket after spilling chili sauce on it. It’s not enough to stop Phichit though, and Leo joins in the ribbing. Georgi has arrived and as he walks past Victor to the bar, he makes kissy sounds.

Victor’s laughing, though, so it’s no big deal. Yuuri’s reaction is a deeper flush as he smiles.

Victor hands Yuuri a flute of champagne, taking one for himself. They look into each other’s eyes and clink glasses like they’re the only people in the room, and Phichit’s grin turns brighter. 

Chris begins to mingle with the crowd, putting his hands on Yuuri’s waist as he passes by. “My offer stands,” he says, and he winks. He disappears soon after that. 

Yuuri looks up at Victor with a raised eyebrow. “Offer?”

Victor runs a hand through his hair. “Ah, I’ll tell you later.”

Phichit gets what it is, and he bursts out laughing. Oh that’s great, it’s _so good_. Yuuri gives Phichit a stern look. Phichit wipes a tear from his eyes. “Yeah, let Victor tell you. Alone.”

Victor snorts, and Yuuri frowns, like he’s being left out of an inside joke---which he kind of is. Oh well, Phichit thinks; better to hear that Chris wants a threesome from his man than a third (fourth?) party.

Guang-Hong taps Leo on the shoulder. “Would you like to dance?” he asks, his voice a little shy.

Leo brightens. “Yes!” He takes Guang-Hong by the hand, and they disappear on the dance floor. Georgi spots someone in the crowd, and his expression turns wounded. He disappears too, leaving Phichit with the happy couple. He grabs his phone just as Victor bows his head to say something in Yuuri’s ear. He snaps a pic, uploading it to Instagram. 

_#victuuri #cupofchina #VictorNikiforov #YuuriKatsuki._

It gets a thousand likes in a minute.

Phichit sips his champagne, looking around the room. Ciao Ciao walks up to them with a scotch in his hand, and he pulls Yuuri aside. It has to be a little bittersweet, Phichit thinks, that Yuuri does better under Victor than he did him. 

Phichit looks at Victor with a smile. “I’m glad you kissed him. Now he realizes what the rest of us saw.”

Victor smiles back. “I didn’t want him to think I was taking advantage, but I should have made my feelings clear sooner. Thank you again for looking out for him.”

Phichit turns deadly serious. “Not that I think you would, but if you break his heart I know where to find you.”

Victor’s eyes go wide, and he takes a step back.

Phichit closes the distance, patting him once on the cheek. He smiles. “Care to dance?”

Just like that, he’s once again the Unsinkable Victor Nikiforov. He grins and downs the champagne. “Yeah, let’s do this. Yuuri will be a while.”

They walk onto the dance floor together, and a piece heavy on the bass and cowbell starts up. As a man sings in a falsetto, Victor and Phichit move together to the rhythm. Leo and Guang-Hong are nearby doing the same, though they’re closer than Phichit is with his partner. Victor’s a good dancer, graceful and really into it, and Phichit has fun keeping up with him. 

The next song plays, and it’s actually the song Phichit made into Victor and Yuuri’s ringtone. About a minute in, Yuuri taps Phichit on the shoulder. “Can I cut in?”

Phichit nods, letting him join Victor. Victor puts his hands on Yuuri’s waist, pulling him in close, and Phichit grins as it looks like once again they forgot other people exist. He leaves the dance floor to get a drink, losing sight of them in the crowd. Ciao Ciao is talking to Chris’s coach so Phichit gets a second champagne. 

They all party until much later than they should with the Exhibition Gala the next day, and Phichit hugs everyone good night, though he hugs Yuuri twice. 

He passes out back at his room still in his clothes, cellphone in his hand as he had been scrolling through everyone’s Instagrams of the night.

The last one he liked was the photo Victor posted of him surprising Yuuri with a kiss.

_\-----_

Phichit awakens to DNCE again, though later than he had to the day before. It’s Exhibition Gala day, and he, Yuuri, and Chris will be skating in it. He gets his Gala costume together after he showers, pausing to make sure he has everything. He grabs a croissant from the hotel cafe (he'll see Ciao Ciao in hell) and they drive to the rink.

Yuuri and Victor are there already, alone in the changing room, and Phichit can tell they’re kissing from the angle of Yuuri’s head. "Good morning!"

Yuuri backs off Victor and gets really interested in his gala outfit, paying particular attention to a cluster of rhinestones.

Victor lights up. “I was overcome!” he says with a wink.

Phichit snorts. Maybe he’s unleashed some kind of monster getting these two together. It’s too early to tell. 

Yuuri slicks back his hair in the mirror, handing Victor his glasses. Victor puts them in his jacket breast pocket, and Yuuri sits back down on the bench to put on his white and black costume. 

Phichit spots a red patch on the skin above Yuuri’s shirt collar, and he stares at it. Yuuri notices the attention. “What?”

Phichit presses his finger to the bite marks there. “Your neckline won’t cover these,” he croons.

Yuuri puts his hand on the spot, then gives Victor a dirty look with a fierce blush. Phichit almost falls off the bench laughing. 

Everything about this is perfection.

Victor has the decency to look sheepish, but only a little. “As I said, I was overcome.”

Phichit’s laughter had been dying down, but now it restarts in earnest. Yuuri hits him hard on the arm. “Ow.”

“Serves you right,” Yuuri grumbles, as he pulls the one-piece suit up over himself. 

Victor ruffles Yuuri’s hair, Yuuri giving him another dirty look in the process.

“Someone is feeling sassy,” Victor responds, though his tone isn’t patronizing. If anything, it’s proud. Victor gestures for Yuuri to stand, and he does. He zips up the back for him, his hands perhaps lingering a little more than they should on his bare skin. Yuuri’s face is a different type of red now, and he clears his throat. 

Yup, he’s created monsters.

Phichit puts on his own costume, which is made to resemble flames, zipping his black and yellow Thailand jacket over it. Chris enters the locker room as he finishes. Chris smiles at Phichit and Victor, winking and turning more sultry at Yuuri, and then he pulls out his phone and puts on a song with bluetooth speakers.

_My mind’s telling me noooooooooooooo! But my body, my body’s telling me yesssssssssss! Baby I don’t wanna hurt nobody, but there is something that I must confess!_ is belted out by the male singer as a slow jam plays.

Phichit loses it again as Yuuri buries his face in his hands, and Victor shakes his head a few times. 

“Music gets me loose,” Chris explains, but the smile he has is 100% what Phichit’s American rinkmates call shit-eating. Chris just became his favorite.

Phichit cackles as he leaves the locker room with Yuuri and Victor following him a minute later. It takes a full ten minutes for him to stop laughing. Victor looks like he wants to laugh but is stopping himself, and Yuuri keeps shaking his head in disbelief.

Chris exits the locker room in gold and white, and they all head out to the ice for the warm up skate. They skate laps and practice their jumps, complimenting each other or making small talk as they pass by. 

Phichit is the last one to go in their group as he’s the gold medalist, and Chris takes the ice first. Phichit, Yuuri, and Victor watch in the holding area of the rink. Victor’s arms are around Yuuri from behind, and Yuuri’s one hand is around Victor’s wrist, his other lacing their fingers together. 

It’s a sweet picture.

Chris finishes to thunderous applause and a standing ovation. He waves then exits the ice, his coach wrapping him in a big hug. Yuuri is next, and Victor slides his jacket off his shoulders, folding it and placing it on the bench. He kneels down and checks Yuuri’s laces, looking up into his eyes with a smile. 

Yuuri bites his bottom lip, resting his hands on Victor’s shoulders. Victor takes off Yuuri’s skate guards one at a time, then stands. He holds Yuuri’s hand in his free one, and turns it palm up. Then he kisses it.

Yuuri’s face is pink, but he frees his hand from Victor’s grip and cups his cheek. Then he steps onto the ice. He and Victor exchange words, Yuuri smiling at him, and Victor covering his hand. 

Yuuri skates to a love song, an orchestral arrangement Phichit recognizes the melody of but can’t name. It starts slow, ramping up speed, and Yuuri flies across the ice like a crane. Victor mouths words along with the music, and that’s when Phichit recognizes the song. 

_Like a river flows surely to the sea, darling so it goes...some things were meant to be!_

Yuuri doesn’t flub anything, his body relaxed and languid in a way it wasn’t even the day before when he did “Yuri on Ice.” Love is good for him, Phichit thinks with satisfaction. Yuuri’s always been loved, but now he’s _in_ love, and it’s a good look.

Yuuri finishes, also to a standing ovation, and he exits the ice, Victor embracing him with joy and ferocity. He dips Yuuri like a tango dancer, kissing him in front of everyone again. Phichit takes off his jacket, giving them a big grin. He will go down with this ship, he decides.

Phichit gets on the rink, and Ciao Ciao smiles at him. “You know you’ve got this,” he says. “Do your best.”

Phichit jumps up, and this time they hug before he skates to the center ice. His music starts, and he begins his program.

He skates by Victor and Yuuri, who yell his name as he passes, and he smiles.

**Author's Note:**

> You can follow me on [Twitter](http://www.twitter/com/sink_or_swim) or [tumblr](http://sinkingorswimming.tumblr.com).


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